Trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy know only too well the progress a horse can make.
Last year, after a winter in the Queensland warmth, Half Yours came out to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double.
Half Yours is heading to the Melbourne Cup again, via the Cox Plate, although he was entered for the Caulfield Cup by the father-and-son training team when nominations closed earlier in the week.
Also, among nominations for the Caulfield Cup from the McEvoy stable was Nearco Frod who will look to extend his winning sequence to four when he runs in the McMahon’s Dairy Handicap (2400m) at Sandown on Saturday.
Nearco Frod was not afforded the same ‘winter excursion’ to the Sunshine Coast for some Queensland warmth, instead he was braving the cold of Melbourne notching up wins on heavy tracks at Sandown on July 1 and July 15 before scoring over 2520m at Flemington on August 1.
Tony McEvoy said a start in the Caulfield Cup was the dream, but Nearco Frod was yet to qualify for the race.
The Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3 could be a more realistic target given the plan is to head to the Group 3 The Archer (2500m) at Flemington on September 12 after Saturday’s outing.
The Archer offers the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup.
“He’ll go to The Archer and then we’ll reassess where we are then,” McEvoy said.
“The Caulfield Cup, it is a big step, but we’ve put him in and he’s a handy little stayer.
“We saw last year where they can come from, but at this stage we’re thinking Saturday and then into The Archer.”
Craig Williams returns to the saddle on Saturday after winning consecutive races on the stayer at Sandown.
Nearco Frod provided Blake Shinn with his first winner back from injury when successful at Flemington at his most recent outing.
